Education has opened many doors for me. I wouldn't be with Edward Jones today had it not been for my education.

What was your greatest educational challenge and how did you overcome it?

Deciding on a major and sticking with it. At 18, it was hard for me to say, "I want to do such and such for the rest of my life." When I was 18, I thought that I wanted to be a doctor. However, after a couple of science classes, I decided that being a M.D. was not for me. It's hard for any 18-year-old to look 20 to 30 years in the future and say, "This is what I want to do for the rest of my life." My mentors and they all suggested that I had a business-oriented mind, and I couldn't go wrong with a business degree.

What is the value of your education?

Priceless.

When did you make education a priority?

In college.

What made you realize the importance of education in your life?

My dad made me work on a hot tar roofing crew during summers when I was in school. I knew that I didn't want to work that hard for the rest of my life.

Did you ever think about quitting? What made you keep going?

Sometimes it's hard to envision a four- to five-year plan to get your education. However, when you realize ultimately your future depends on it, you just keep pressing on to the goal.